Album Review: Seascapes by Phil Holland
Album Name: Seascapes
Artist: Phil Holland
Year/Label: 2009 / LAGAN EDITIONS
Review by Amy Lotsberg Producer of Collected Sounds
Well, color me confused…first of all I read that Phil Holland is a Scottish/Irish musician who plays the Celtic harp, violin and sings. Good. Then I see the album is all songs about Greece. Some of the song titles and much of the liner notes are written in Greek. M’kay. Then I see the envelope is from Italy! To top it all off Phil is a woman!
Well, with that out of the way…the music is lovely. Holland has one of those voices that I deem “opera-y” and I don’t generally care for that. But in this case, it goes nicely with the music. Plus some of the songs are instrumental.
The harp playing is beautiful, peaceful and calming. The compositions are interesting and intricate without taking anything away from (or adding too much to) the listening pleasure. I don’t know the Greek language at all but it sounds interesting.
This is nice music to have on while reading the paper and sipping tea. Plus I’m so intrigued by this person I want to learn more.
Track Listing
1. Itane Mia For a
2. Thinking of You
3. Lefkadia Sappho
4. The Olive (at Aghia Parskevi)
5. The Butterfly Jig
6. Ask the Stars
7. The Water is Wide
8. Vassiliki Seascapes
9. The Eriskay Love Lilt
